Neonate and Infant Mortality Rate; A Review

Abstract

Childhood mortality, particularly in the first 5 years of life, is a major global concern and the target of Millennium Development Goal 4.Globally 7.6 million children died in 2010 before reaching their fifth birthday and 40% of these deaths occur in the neonatal period. Timely measurements of levels and trends in under-5 mortality are important to assess progress towards the Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4) target of reduction of child mortality by two thirds from 1990 to 2013, and to identify models of success. To implement evidence-based interventions for the reduction of neonatal mortality, it is important to investigate factors associated with neonatal mortality. The aim of the current study was to identify determinants of neonatal mortality.To generated updated estimates of child mortality in early neonatal (age 0–6 days), late neonatal (7–28 days), postneonatal (29–364 days), childhood (1–4 years), and under-5 (0–4 years) age groups for some countries from 1970 to 2013. To quantify the contribution of these different factors and birth numbers to the change in numbers of deaths in under-5 age groups from 1990 to 2013.The study showed that the infantmortality rate (IMR), neonate mortality rate (NMR)& under five mortality rate (U5MR) for singleton live born infants between 1990-2013.Neonatal mortality has declined in all world regions. Progress has been slowest in the regions with high neonate mortality rates(NMRs). Global health programs need to address neonatal deaths moreeffectively if Millennium Development Goal 4 (two-thirds reduction in child mortality) is to be achieved.